If your family is making 2020 the year they get to know New Zealand, here are some great suggestions of where to travel around the lower South Island - and yes, this is only a fraction of the fun our country has to offer.
Please make sure you check websites and social media before planning any of these trips as regulations and conditions are changing weekly in these unusual times.
It goes without saying that even if you did nothing in Wānaka, your family would be mesmerised by the scenery - mountains giving way to the lake, peaks and glaciers are all picture-perfect.
But there is so much around if you do want to explore - challenge yourselves at Puzzling World, check out the National Transport and Toy Museum, say hi to the animals at the Lavender Farm (and take deep breaths of that calming scent if scrapping siblings on road trips are taking their toll on your sanity), play on the dinosaur slide at the playground, see a flick at Cinema Paradiso, walk up Mount Iron or down Matukituki Valley and of course ski, ski, ski.
Older kids have lots of opportunities too, jet boating, mountain biking, horse riding and even waterfall climbing if they're looking for something different - the highest waterfall cable climb in the world, in fact. There's plenty of family-friendly food, from burritos and crepes from food trucks, to brewery eats, to sweet treats from Pembroke's Patisserie, burgers from Red Star or Italian Pizza from Francesca's.
Oakridge Resort is a terrific place to stay with your tribe; they have self-contained apartments for families and plenty of pool action.
Everyone loves Arrowtown with its charming quirkiness. It's where the stunning beauty of the Alps meets New Zealand's gold-rush history and it's easy and fun for a family trip.
Gold panning becomes addictive for all ages, and although you can spend ages poking the shops (make sure you stop for sausage rolls and custard slices at Arrowtown Bakery) or visiting the museum, Chinese settlement or Old Gaol, there are also so many simple pleasures - walking tracks, cycling and stone-skimming on the river.
Everyone in the family will be enchanted by the small-town historic buildings that lead to a tree-lined avenue of tiny miners' cottages taking you back to a bygone era.
Your family won't want to leave Dunedin, such is the endless list of attractions that appeal to them. There are the well-known ones like Lanarch Castle, Baldwin St and the Albatross Colony but also the fascinating Little Blue Penguin experience (you'd be hard-pressed to find anything more adorable than 100-plus of these little cuties swimming ashore after a hard day's fishing).
Bird lovers will be enraptured by Orokonui Ecosanctuary, where multiple species of plants and animals are protected from predators and you can see Takahē, Kākā and many other of our natural treasures at play. Make sure you allow enough time for Otago Museum as the Tūhura Otago Community Trust Science Centre has so many exhibits to play with, you'll have a really hard job pulling your family away - and that's before you even get to the tropical butterfly centre.
Go on a street art hunt (it's world-class), escape Dunedin's old prison in an escape-room-style challenge, sit in the hot saltwater pools - summer only - at St Clair as the ocean pounds the beach right next to you; walk the windswept sands of Tunnel Beach and be fascinated by Toitu Otago Settlers Museum which has plenty to entertain.
Otago Farmers Market is wonderful and Emerson's is a treat for family-friendly food and a large selection of brews.
If your family are looking for a chance to disconnect from the busy modern world and immerse themselves in stunning landscapes, the Catlins could be just the ticket; the scenery is really worth the trip to this very southern point of our country.
Cascading Purakaunui Falls is pretty as a picture, Cathedral Caves an impressive sight, and Nugget Point is one of the most jaw-dropping lookouts in the South Island, where sapphire waters pound dramatic cliffs and you can often spot fur seals, Hooker's sea lions, sea elephants, yellow-eyed and blue penguins and Hector's dolphins playing in the waves.
At Curio Bay, along The Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail, you can see the petrified remains of a forest that's more than 160 million years old; it's hard to even wrap your head around. Spend time on a farm stay or local BnB for the real experience of this remote part of the country - the locals are definitely part of the charm.
There's never been a better time for Kiwi families to visit one of New Zealand's most stunning locations, Queenstown. No crowds of overseas visitors and loads of great deals for locals as we all try to support the tourism industry post-Covid.
Although we often think of adrenaline activities (bungy jumps, rafting, jet boating) when we think of Queenstown, there's plenty to appeal to younger kids too.
Farm tours on some of the big South Island stations are an amazing experience for families, there's the Gondola and Luge, Kayaking in summer, cruises on the TSS Earnslaw and a load of indoor activities like laser tag, trampolining, go-karts, rock climbing and movies if it's too cold or wet outside. Under-fives ski for free so this is a great time to get your little ones on that powder - and don't miss the Remarkable Sweet Shop or Patagonia Chocolates for treats after a long day sightseeing.
Blue Peaks self-contained apartments are perfect for families wanting to be close to the town centre.
For more New Zealand travel ideas, go to newzealand.com/dosomethingnew
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